


A different map

by myrish_lace



Series: Astronomy Lessons [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jon and Sansa Are Not Related, Maps, Museums, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 09:19:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13948536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myrish_lace/pseuds/myrish_lace
Summary: Sansa and Jon met Bran at the local astronomy club. Six months later, Jon is Sansa's boyfriend and a part of the family. When Sansa struggles with her father's death, Jon helps her through it in a unique way.





	A different map

**Author's Note:**

> This is a slight extension of my Starry Skies modern au, but I wrote it so that it hopefully stands on its own too. And now you all know about my love of astrolabes :)

"Sansa? Why are you crying?"

Bran's gentle voice from the backseat of the car startled her. Sansa had navigated to this gas station using her father's map. She and Jon were taking Bran and Meera to the planetarium.

Father had circled the location of the nearest gas stations on the old fold-out map he insisted Sansa take in the car.

She touched his handwriting  at the top. _Be safe, cupcake_. 

She held back a sob.  _But he's_ _gone, he's not anywhere on this map, I can't find him._

Sansa wiped her eyes. "It's nothing, Bran." Thankfully Jon and Meera cane back from the convenience store with handfuls of snacks and piled into the car. 

Jon gave her a quick hug after he searched her face, but he didn't pry. She had Bran to thank for her boyfriend - they'd met Jon when Sansa drove Bean to the local astronomy club. Jon had shown Bran the stars and eventually worked up the courage to ask Sansa out. She straightened in her seat. "Okay, buckle in everyone."

***

"I want to show you something," Jon said, after they dropped Bran and Meera off at the "Put People on Mars!" movie in the remodeled theater. He led her into a quiet corner of the planetarium.

"If you wanted to kiss me we don't have to sneak off to do it. Bran knows."

Jon gave her a quick kiss, just to bring a smile to her face. "Gonna kiss you a lot more later. I really do want to show you something though. Come on."

They rounded the corner and Sansa gasped at the beautiful gold and silver models in front of her. They were intricate, like clockwork, but with suns and stars and planets engraved on them.

"They're astrolabes," Jon said.

She nudged him. "So I know I could read all the plaques in here but can you tell me what's up, science boy?"

"Sailors used then to navigate across oceans," he said, "and astronomers used them to follow the planets and the stars. Little models of everything they knew about the universe, that you could hold in the palm of your hand. Some of the oldest ones are in Arabic."

"You mean my fifth grade teacher lied, and Gallileo didn't start it all?"

"Yep."

Sansa touched the glass case, thinking about boundaries, and space, and limitless skies. "So you and I are in there?"

"Us, and Bran...and your father too," Jon murmured. "You couldn't find him, on the map. Bran told me."

Sansa shrunk into herself. "He shouldn't have said anything. I...I was being ridiculous."

"But you weren't, Sansa." Jon took her hand. "It's part of what people do. Use models to understand where everything fits, even if we don't know exactly how it works together. He's still here, right here. You weren't wrong."

Sansa rested her head on his shoulder. "I just needed a different map," she said.


End file.
